Hall hunting for first crown

Tying for third place in the World Ladies Championship on the weekend has bolstered Georgia Hall's confidence in realizing her 2017 goals of entering the world's top 50 and winning her first Ladies European Tour tournament.

Hall, No 103 in the Rolex Rankings as of March 13, was the only non-Korean to place in the top 10 at Mission Hills Resort in Haikou, Hainan province.

The native of Bournemouth, England, who will turn 21 in April, is excited to have a good start to this year after being runner-up at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open in the United Arab Emirates in November - her best finish to date on the European Tour.

Hall, who first picked up a club at age 7, led the field by one stroke after the first round but got off to a rough start in the second with two bogeys on the front nine. She rebounded on the back nine, using a hot putter to register five birdies.

Hall turned professional in 2014, and has set her sights on becoming No 1 in the world. Between tournaments she spends a lot of time practicing, which helps take her mind off being away from friends and family for long stretches.

Last year, Hall spent about 22 weeks away from home.

"Traveling and being away from families and friends is hard, but it's worth it because I'm playing a sport I love," Hall said.

"I don't really see playing golf as a job, but as a wonderful experience going from tournament to tournament to compete with some of the best players in the world.

"What I like the most about the game is that you cannot beat the golf course. You might win tournaments, but there are always some shots that you could have done better. I enjoy trying to keep that number as low as possible."

She wants to share the joy in playing golf with more young people in her home country.

"Golf is popular in England, but it's a shame not many young people play it," Hall said, citing the big expense of club memberships as a major factor.

"I go to schools and golf clubs to watch girls play and try to encourage them to stay with the sport. Also, the more tournaments are televised, the more young kids can see us play.

"With English golfers doing quite well, hopefully more kids will be encouraged to take up the game."

South Korea's Kim Hae-rym edged compatriot Bae Seon-woo in a playoff to win the championship on Sunday.

China's top finisher was Li Jiayun, who tied for 27th after winding up with a 1-under total of 218.

xujingxi@chinadaily.com.cn